MUR #7553
NRASummary
RESPONDENTS: National Rifle Association (NRA-PVF) of America Political Victory Fund; American Media & Advocacy Group LLC; Crate, Bradley T.; Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.); National Media Research and Placement, LLC; National Rifle Association (NRA-ILA) Institute for Legislative Action (Nonconnected); OnMessage, Inc.; Owens (NRA), Robert G.; Red Eagle Media Group; Starboard Strategic, Inc.
COMPLAINANTS: Campaign Legal Center; Giffords; Fischer (CLC), Brendan M.
SUBJECT: Committees-PAC; Committees-Presidential; Contributions-Corporations; Contributions-Excessive; Contributions-Prohibited; Expenditures-Coordinated; Reporting
DISPOSITION: The Commission decided by a vote of 4-1 to close the file and send the appropriate letters, as recommended in the Memorandum from Chairman Dickerson dated August 29, 2022.
The Commission decided by a vote of 5-0 to approve the appropriate letters acknowledging waivers by Respondents (to be sent to counsel of record), as recommended in the Memorandum to the Commission dated November 9, 2021.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-3 to take the following actions in MURs 7427, 7497, 7524, and 7553:
1. Close the file.
2. Send the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-1 to approve the appropriate letters acknowledging waivers by Respondents (to be sent to counsel of record), as recommended in the Memorandum to the Commission dated November 9, 2021.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-3 to take the following actions in MURs 7427, 7497, 7524, 7553, and 7621:
1. Close the file.
2. Send appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 3-2 to take the following actions in MURs 7427, 7497, 7524, and 7553:
MUR 7553
1. Find reason to believe that the National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund and the Nation Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action violated52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(a) and 30118(a) by making and failing to report excessive and prohibited in-kind contributions to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer by coordinating communications through National Media.
2. Find reason to believe that Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Bradley T. Crate in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30118(a) and direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a corresponding Factual and Legal Analysis and appropriate letter.
3. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated May 10, 2019, subject to the edits circulated by Commissioner Weintraub’s Office on Monday, January 25,2021 at 6:11 P.M.
4. Authorize the use of compulsory process, including the issuance of appropriate interrogatories, document subpoenas, and deposition subpoenas, as necessary.
5. Approve the appropriate letter.
MUR 7524
1. Find reason to believe that the National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(a), and 30118(a) by making and failing to report excessive and prohibited in-kind contributions to Josh Hawley for Senate and Salvatore Purpura in his official capacity as treasurer by coordinating communications through National Media.
2. Find reason to believe that Josh Hawley for Senate and Salvatore Purpura in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30118(a) and direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a corresponding Factual and Legal Analysis and appropriate letter.
3. Find reason to believe that the National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund and the National Rifle Association of America Institute of Legislative Action coordinated communications with the Thom Tillis Committee and Collin McMichael in his official capacity as treasurer, Cotton for Senate and Theodore V. Koch in his official capacity as treasurer, Cory Gardner for Senate and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer, Ron Johnson for Senate, Inc. and James J. Malczewski in his official capacity as treasurer, and Josh Hawley for Senate and Salvatore Purpura in his official capacity as treasurer through OnMessage and Starboard; and direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a corresponding Factual and Legal Analysis and appropriate letter.
4. Find reason to believe that the Thom Tillis Committee and Collin McMichael in his official capacity as treasurer, Cotton for Senate and Theodore V. Koch in his official capacity as treasurer, Cory Gardner for Senate and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer, Ron Johnson for Senate, Inc. and James J. Malczewski in his official capacity as treasurer, and Josh Hawley for Senate and Salvatore Purpura in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30118(a) (through OnMessage and Starboard); and direct the Office of General Counsel to draft a corresponding Factual and Legal Analysis and appropriate letter.
5. Approve the Factual and Legal Analysis, as recommended in the First General Counsel’s Report dated May 10, 2019, subject to the edits circulated by Commissioner Weintraub’s Office on Monday, January 25, 2021 at 6:11 P.M.
6. Authorize the use of compulsory process, including the issuance of appropriate interrogatories, document subpoenas, and deposition subpoenas, as necessary.
7. Approve the appropriate letter.
MUR 7497
1. Find reason to believe that the National Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action and Robert G. Owens in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(a), and 30118(a).
2. Find reason to believe that the Thom Tillis Committee and Collin McMichael in his official capacity as treasurer, Cotton for Senate and Theodore V. Koch in his official capacity as treasurer, Cory Gardner for Senate and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer, and Ron Johnson for Senate, Inc. and James J. Malczewski in his official capacity as treasurer and Matt Rosendale for Montana and Errol Galt in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30118(a).
3. Direct the Office of General Counsel to draft appropriate Factual and Legal Analyses and appropriate letters.
4. Approve compulsory process.
MUR 7427
1. Find reason to believe that the National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund and Robert G. Owens in his official capacity as treasurer and the National Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action and Robert G. Owens in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(a), and 30118(a).
2. Find reason to believe that the Thom Tillis Committee and Collin McMichael in his official capacity as treasurer, Cotton for Senate and Theodore V. Koch in his official capacity as treasurer, Cory Gardner for Senate and Lisa Lisker in her official capacity as treasurer, and Ron Johnson for Senate, Inc. and James J. Malczewski in his official capacity as treasurer violated 52 U.S.C. §§ 30104(b), 30116(f), and 30118(a).
3. Direct the Office of General Counsel to draft appropriate Factual and Legal Analyses and appropriate letters.
4. Approve compulsory process.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-3 to take the following actions in MURs 7427, 7497, 7524, 7553, 7558, 7560, 7621, 7654, and 7660:
1. Close the files.
2. Send the appropriate letters.
The Commission failed by a vote of 2-3 to find no reason to believe in MURs 7524, 7553, and 7558.
Disposition
Disposition | Penalty | Respondent | Citation |
---|---|---|---|
Dismissed-Other | Red Eagle Media Group | ||
Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.) |
52
U.S.C.
§30104(b)
52 U.S.C. §30116(f) 52 U.S.C. §30118(a) |
||
American Media & Advocacy Group LLC | |||
Crate, Bradley T. |
52
U.S.C.
§30104(b)
52 U.S.C. §30116(f) 52 U.S.C. §30118(a) |
||
National Rifle Association (NRA-ILA) Institute for Legislative Action (Nonconnected) |
52
U.S.C.
§30104(b)
52 U.S.C. §30116(a) 52 U.S.C. §30118(a) |
||
Starboard Strategic, Inc. | |||
National Media Research and Placement, LLC | |||
Owens (NRA), Robert G. | |||
OnMessage, Inc. | |||
National Rifle Association (NRA-PVF) of America Political Victory Fund |
52
U.S.C.
§30104(b)
52 U.S.C. §30116(a) 52 U.S.C. §30118(a) |
Documents
Participants
Relationship | Name |
---|---|
Primary respondent | National Rifle Association (NRA-PVF) of America Political Victory Fund |
Previous respondent | American Media & Advocacy Group LLC |
Crate, Bradley T. | |
Make America Great Again PAC (f/k/a Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.) | |
National Media Research and Placement, LLC | |
National Rifle Association (NRA-ILA) Institute for Legislative Action (Nonconnected) | |
OnMessage, Inc. | |
Owens (NRA), Robert G. | |
Red Eagle Media Group | |
Starboard Strategic, Inc. | |
Complainant | Campaign Legal Center |
Fischer (CLC), Brendan M. | |
Giffords | |
Respondent's counsel | Bayes, Michael |
Crosland, E. Stewart | |
Jones Day |